If you need a romance hero to swoon over, check out this list of must-read cop romance books. Today I’m continuing my series of podcast episodes that focus on my favorite book boyfriends and the bad boys that I’m talking about in this list are more than willing to handcuff me any time they want.
These are the best police officer heroes from my favorite cop romance books that you are absolutely going to fall for so check them out below or listen in on the She Reads Romance Books Podcast.
Episode 14: Cuff Me! My Favorite Cop Romance Books and Police Officer Heroes
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Books Mentioned in this Episode:
- Breathe
- Things We Hide From the Light
- The Brave Line
- The Maddest Obsession
- Make Me Beg
- The Fake Mate
- Bride
Mentioned in this Episode:
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Episode Show Notes:
Hey readers!
Today I’m continuing my series of episodes that focuses on my favorite book boyfriends and these bad boys that I’m talking about in this list are more than willing to handcuff me any time they want. These are my favorite police office heroes and law enforcement heroes from my favorite cop romance books that you are absolutely going to want to read if you haven’t already.
Are you ready for these hot heroes? Cue up that TBR list my lovely readers as I’m coming at you with the best cop heroes and starting with Chace Keaton from Kristen Ashley’s epic romance book, Breathe.
Breathe
by Kristen Ashley
I don’t know about you, but I actually read less when I’m on vacation and I guess that’s because we are busy doing other things, BUT this past summer we spent a week at the beach and I started reading Breathe which I had picked up from the library and I don’t think I slept that entire night once I started it because I just couldn’t put it down.
I guess it was OK that I was a complete zombie the next day since we were just relaxing at the pool and beach but it was so worth it after reading this gem from Ashley.
Breathe is one of her epic small town romance books that pulls in more than just the leading hero and heroine but I’m focusing on the hero today who is Chace.
Chace is a cop in the small town of Carnal, Colorado which is the basis for her Colorado Mountain series. I did read book one in the series, The Gamble, years ago, but I wasn’t lost by picking this one up which is book four so you can absolutely read it as a standalone FYI, but back to Chace.
Chace is one of the good guys in what was once a police department filled with crooked cops. And because it was a crooked police department, he had to make some not great choices along the way in his career but he ultimately worked to bring the bad guys down and is seen as a hero in his town even though he doesn’t feel like he deserves the title.
At the time he was also blackmailed into a marriage by a wretched woman who he did not love to protect someone he did love but he is now single because his wife’s life was taken by someone unknown.
Also living in the small town is the quiet, sweet librarian Faye Goodnight. Faye is a 29 year old virgin who just never got around to giving up her V card because she instantly fell for Chace when she first saw him over 13 years ago when he moved to town and she’s been crushing on him ever since.
And one very late night Chace runs into Faye deep in the woods and it’s practically the first time the two have ever spoken despite living in the same town for so many years.
He’s actually pretty cruel to her and tries his best to keep his distance from her but the two of them finally end up growing closer because they start looking out for this young homeless boy. Which gosh, that was just a tearjerker story in and of itself and reason enough to read this book but Chace instantly became a favorite book boyfriend because he’s that alpha male that I can’t help but fall for.
A bit broken on the inside with his feelings of unworthiness and yet such a protector of both Faye and Malichi.
I’ll give you one of the best quotes of the book:
“I’ll let you in on a secret, honey. The knight who has serious chinks in his armor but never falls is the true hero. That means he’s won battles and doesn’t waste time polishing his armor so he can look good while he rides in parades that are tributes to his glory. He just drags himself back on his steed and keeps right on battling. And if he’s the right kind of knight, he never rides alone. The best heroes inspire loyalty. The best heroes keep fighting the good fight, tirelessly, quietly. The best heroes always have scars. If they didn’t, the heroine would have nothing to do. It’s her job to help the hero let all that stuff go in order that her man can be strong enough to fight on but when he’s with her he’s free to just ‘breathe’.”
Of course, as a librarian Faye loves to read romance and Chace is more than willing to act out some of the scenes in her books that get her all hot and bothered and I loved it.
But there is actually so much to love about this book, including the hot cop, Chace so check it out.
Book two on my list of favorite cop romance books and police officer heroes is Things We Hide From the Light by Lucy Score.
Things We Hide From the Light
by Lucy Score
This small town romance already made my list of best romance novels of 2023 as soon as I finished it and that’s because I fell hard for Nash Morgan, Knockemout’s Chief of Police.
This is book two in Score’s Knockemout series, following Things We Never Got Over, which I highly recommend reading first because you not only meet Nash in that story but because it also sets the stage for this book where Nash is reeling from the aftermath of being shot in book one.
So the guy who was once Mr. Southern Charm is now a shell of the man he once was, struggling with panic attacks and nightmares just trying to get through the day and yet he’s suffering in silence, not letting anyone know what he’s dealing with.
Then there is Lina, his brother Knox’s best friend who recently came to town for reasons of her own and secrets she’s keeping. She moves in next door to Nash and ends up being the only one who makes Nash feel different and feel alive again with just a simple touch.
But ironically Lina doesn’t like unsolicited physical touch or affection given her past and has no interest in a relationship.
This book keeps you on the edge of your seat not only with the mystery behind Nash’s memory loss but with the development of Nash and Lina’s feelings toward one another.
I’ll say that if you are a total sucker for romance heroes with wounded hearts like me then you have to read this because Nash fits this to a tee.
He would do anything for his town and takes his role as Chief really seriously but Score does such a great job of portraying a man who is normally a picture of positivity but who is now suffering in silence with depression after his accident.
I love Nash, love this series and loved him and Lina together. It’s a must-read for sure! And good news, you can read it and the entire Things We Never Got Over series in Kindle Unlimited. If you haven’t signed up for KU then this is reason to get on that.
Also check out my book review of Things We Hide from the Light to learn more!
Book three in my list of favorite police officer heroes is The Brave Line by Kate Stewart.
The Brave Line
by Kate Stewart
There is some cross over from Stewart’s baseball romance books, Anything But Minor and Major Love, with this book but it can be read as a standalone and is not to be missed.
This book follows Rowdy a sergeant in the Charleston police force. He is a man who takes his job very seriously which is getting more and more dangerous and he definitely does not date where he works. However, he can’t deny the pull he feels toward Michelle who is a 911 operator that he works with quite frequently and closely.
Given the high stakes of both of their jobs, this book is intense! It really makes you think about what police officers and 911 operators deal with on a daily basis and it’s incredible. Rowdy puts his life on the line in more than one occasion and he ends up finding solace in Michelle even though neither of them supposedly want a relationship.
And if you’re looking for a steamy cop romance book, this is it. Whoa are these two fire in the bedroom.
Kate Stewart’s books never disappoint and neither does this one so check it out, The Brave Line.
Book four featuring another favorite law enforcement hero is The Maddest Obsession by Danielle Lori.
The Maddest Obsession
by Danielle Lori
Gosh Lori is most-known for her Made series of which The Maddest Obsession is book two, and it is fantastic. This is one of those series that I totally binge-read in three days, book one through book three because I loved it so much and I rarely do that any more these days but SO worth it!
The Maddest Obsession is another of her mafia romance books but also an opposites attract romance featuring Christian Allistair, this seriously hot FBI agent and Gianna who is a part of this mafia world.
And just as the title suggests you will become obsessed with these two flawed characters that end up having the best slow burn love story.
Christian was such an enigma to me and just so captivating that I had to continue reading the story just to learn more about him. I loved how this feisty, broken heroine could get under his skin and cool exterior and when they both gave in to their attraction is was intense and so good.
Christian is also a bit different from the other cop heroes I’ve mentioned because he’s more of a morally grey type law enforcement guy who actually has ties to the mafia world. He’s not a dirty cop but not squeaky clean either.
This is such an intense slow burn romance because this book covers YEARS in the build-up to their relationship. So the tension once if finally topples over, is so incredible – especially when you’re dealing with an obsessed hero.
I loved Christian and this series and you will too!
Book five of cop romance books with the best law enforcement heroes is Make Me Beg by Julie Kriss.
Make Me Beg
by Julie Kriss
Now this is book four in her Riggs Brothers series and trust me when I say you’ll want to circle back and read all the books and meet all the brothers because they are so fine.
But Make Me Beg is about Dex Riggs, the former dirty cop and ultimate bad boy. Dex was a cop but something went down and now he’s back in his small town and there’s this air of mystery about him and about why he’s no longer a cop. And he reunites with Lauren who he had one run-in with when they were in high school. She’s newly divorced and really wanting a baby so boldly asks Dex to give her one.
If you read any other of the previous books, Dex definitely comes off as the mega a-hole but in this book Kris peels back his layers and you see what’s underneath which is a man who’s super caring and willing to love.
It’s also a romance book with one of the best epilogues which is always such a gift from authors. I don’t think I’m doing justice for this book but just trust me that you need to read it and will totally fall for the former cop.
So that’s my list of favorite cop heroes to totally fall for but I’ll end this episode with two books that I just finished reading and adored and those are The Fake Mate by Lana Ferguson and Bride by Ali Hazelwood.
These are completely different than these cop romance books as they are both werewolf romance books and you need to preorder them both ASAP.
Both books have the best characters and really engaging stories and if you’ve ever heard of “knotting” in werewolf romance books or want to know what it is (and it’s hot by the way) then you need to read these books. The Fake Mate and Bride. Two of my favorite reads this month and new romance book releases I highly recommend.
Check them out and happy reading!
Related Book Lists:
- Favorite Virgin Hero Romance Books
- Best Military Romance Heroes
- Romance Heroes With Wounded Hearts
- Best Dirty Talkers in Romance
- Best Alpha Males in Romance
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